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28 Things You Never Knew About The Marvel Universe

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe takes over the real universe, we decided to take a look at some aspects of the Marvel World you may not be familiar with. How many of these facts did you know?
1. When Robert Downey Jr. was in high school, he was once suspended for tearing a classmate's comic book to pieces and calling him a "nerd." The comic book? The Invincible Iron Man.
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2. Famous loner Wolverine has actually been on more super teams than any other Marvel character.
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3. It was revealed in the 1980s that Peter Parker, Spider-Man's secret identity, grew up at 20 Ingram Street in Forest Hills, Queens.
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That address, in real life, has been owned by an actual Parker family since 1974.
4. Vin Diesel recorded all his "I am Groot" lines over 1,000 times in multiple languages in order for his voice to fit the role around the world.
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He said "I am groot" in Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese, German, and French, all while wearing stilts to get a feel for the character's height.
5. Iron Man's suit is made up of roughly 450 separate pieces.
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6. Natalia Romanova, also known as Black Widow, is still a super hottie thanks to a variation of the super-soldier serum.
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She's actually 70 years old though. Da-yum.
7. Chris Evans turned down the role of Captain America three times before the producers eventually convinced him to accept it.
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8. Mark Ruffalo had to leave to the premiere of The Avengers early because his four-year-old daughter was so terrified of her father's onscreen transformation into the Hulk. We don't blame her!
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9. For Thor: The Dark World, there were over 30 Mjölnirs (Thor's hammer) created.
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10. Michael Jackson tried to buy Marvel Comics in the early 90s. He was planning to produce and star in a Spider-Man movie that never happened. Wouldn't that be crazy?
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11. Deadpool originated as a spoof of DC Comic's Deathstroke. That's why Deadpool's real name, Wade Wilson, is so similar to Deathstroke's, Slade Wilson.
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12. A body double was used for Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger for the scenes where he's skinny.
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Digital technology was utilized in order to erase Evans' body in order to create the allusion of a tiny, tiny version of the actor.
13. Red Skull, Captain America's nemesis, was created after Joe Simon noticed the cherry on his ice cream sundae resembled a skull. Such delicious beginnings for such an evil guy, no?
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14. The chemicals from the blue make-up used to transform Rebecca Romijn into Mystique caused her to yak blue vomit all over Hugh Jackman after taking a tequila shot.
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The celebrations on the final day of the first film were a little tainted by it.
15. In 1987, Spider-Man married Mary Jane. To coincide with the nuptials, Marvel held a press event featuring live-action versions of the characters getting married at Shea Stadium.
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16. Cyclops' eyes function as a portal to another dimension that generates the energy used for his optic blasts. He's also immune to his powers, which is why he doesn't blast his own eyelids off.
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17. Marvel evaded a law raising taxes on toys based on humans by claiming the X-Men toys were mutants, not humans. Clever, clever!
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18. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Falcon's flight gear has a Stark Industries logo on it.
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19. The Punisher was originally created as an adversary for Spider-Man before getting his own standalone comic in 1986.
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20. Believe it or not, the richest superhero is not the incredibly wealthy Tony Stark (Iron Man); it's actually Black Panther. He has 5 times Stark's fortune, $500 billion.
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21. When Stan Lee initially pitched Spider-Man, his publishers thought it would fail because nobody wants to see a teenage hero (and, obvi nobody likes spiders).
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The first issue quickly became one of Marvel's highest-selling comics.
22. Captain America is one of the few people able to use Iron Man's armor, Thor's hammer, and only one of two foreigners entrusted with the Black Panther's technology. No wonder everyone loves Captain America so much!
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23. Wolverine can literally sense when someone's lying. He can also super easily identify shape-shifters.
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24. Captain America's shield can only be damaged on a molecular level because it's made of an adamantium/vibranium alloy.
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25. For everyone heartbroken when Gwen Stacy died in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, prepare for more heartbreak.
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There was debate over whether she met her end at the hands of the Green Goblin throwing her off the bridge or if it was Spider-Man's fault. It was eventually revealed that Spidey's web stopped her so suddenly that she was killed by a whiplash effect. :(
26. The Incredible Hulk was not originally the green giant we've come to know and love. He started out grey, but due to ink problems in printing, we have our green guy.
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27. Venom was originally written as a female character.
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Writer David Michelle was forced by his editor to alter the character's gender because "readers wouldn't see the woman as a physical threat" to Spidey. Rude.
28. Robert Downey Jr. gave a seven-year-old boy born with a partially developed arm a prosthetic modeled after his character's super-powered gauntlets.
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This, along with the incredibly generous and kind behavior of Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Andrew Garfield, et al, help to make these Marvel actors real life superheroes. And for that, we love them.
h/t @MarvelousFacts

Miramax via Everett Collection
The musical adaptation of Johnny Depp's hit Peter Pan film Finding Neverland is officially flying onto the Broadway stage. The production, based on the 2004 movie, in which Depp played Peter Pan creator J. M. Barrie opposite Kate Winslet, will debut at a Nederlander Organisation theatre in March 2015, according to the show's spokesperson. Finding Neverland centres on Barrie and the family which inspired him to write about the boy who never grew up. The musical, which is produced by Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein, opened at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts earlier this week (begs11Aug14) to positive reviews. Jeremy Jordan and Laura Michelle Kelly are currently starring in the Cambridge production, but it is not yet known if the pair will be part of the Broadway show. There's quite a resurgence of all things Pan at the moment - English director Joe Wright is adapting an origins story, featuring Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund and Amanda Seyfried, for the big screen, and Girls star Allison Williams was recently cast as Peter Pan in a live TV version of the tale, which will debut in the U.S. at Christmas (Dec14). And of course, one of Hollywood's most beloved Peter Pans, Robin Williams, died earlier this week (11Aug14). He played Barrie's Pan in Steven Spielberg's Hook.

Hugh Jackman has shaved his head bald for his new movie role as pirate Blackbeard in Joe Wright's Peter Pan prequel, Pan. The actor showed off his new look in a photo on Instagram.com on Tuesday (10Jun14), two days after hosting the Tony Awards in New York. The live-action film is expected to be released next year (15).

It takes a lot of effort for Hugh Jackman to look anything less than handsome at all times. Sure, there’s the occasional awkward running picture or a bad haircut for a period film, but for the most part, his dashing good looks prevail. However, nothing tests that theory quite like a dramatic new look, like the bald-head-with-full-beard that he’s currently rocking for his role as Blackbeard in Joe Wright’s upcoming film Pan. Jackman unveiled a picture of himself and his newly shorn head on Tuesday morning, and while we’re still torn on his new haircut, there’s no doubt that Jackman can pull off a pirate beard like very few others could.
After all, Jackman has a lot more experience with film-required facial hair than almost anyone in Hollywood. So, the real question here isn't whether Jackman still looks good with his new look - of course he does! - but whether this beard is better than all of the other movie beards that the triple-threat has grown over the years. Sure, it belongs to a legendary pirate, but is it better than the iconic Wolverine mutton chops? How about his scraggly convict look from Les Miserables? In order to prove, once and for all, which Jackman beard reigns supreme, we've ranked the actor's many movie beards.
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7. Mountain Man Logan in The Wolverine You'd think it would be impossible to make Wolverine, one of the hottest superheroes of all time, unattractive, but it turns out that all it takes is the combination of a scraggly, unruly beard and some limp, greasy hair extensions.
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6. Wace in Erkinsville Kings While Jackman's doing his best to make that patchy goatee work, it's just too uneven and awkwardly grown to properly highlight those cheekbones. Plus, it makes him look old and haggard, which are two words that should never be used to describe him.
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5. Jean Valjean in Les Miserables If you consider that the prison Valjean spent 15 years locked away in mot likely didn't have things like razors, running water or the concept of basic grooming, the resulting beard isn't actually that bad.
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4. Keller Dover in Prisoners It's not the best movie beard that Jackman has ever worn, but do you really want to be the one to tell that guy to shave it off? He'll probably strangle you if you even think anything bad about his facial hair.
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3. Blackbeard in Pan Not since Johnny Depp put gold fronts on his teeth to play Jack Sparrow has an actor gone from "regular guy" to "full-blown pirate" so quickly. And Jackman didn't even need any extensions.
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2. Logan/Wolverine in the X-Men films It might seem blasphemous to deny Jackman's most iconic character the top spot, but when you really stop and think about it, that mutton chop/chin beard hybrid is pretty stupid-looking. It's a testament to Jackman's good looks that he manages to pull it off so well.
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1. Drover in Australia Australia might not be a very good movie, but it did give the world the gift of Jackman as a rugged, scruffy cowboy, and for that, we will be eternally grateful - although not grateful enough to stop making jokes about it.
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A British showbiz reporter turned his access to A-list movie stars into a breathtaking tribute video for his new bride on their wedding day at the weekend (17May14). Sky News entertainment reporter Joe Michalczuk asked stars like Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Samuel L. Jackson and Anne Hathaway to salute his bride-to-be and he unveiled the short film when the couple exchanged vows recently.
Two of the best messages came from Hathaway and Winslet, who used film songs and lines to pay tribute to the new Mrs. Jenny Michalczuk.
Les Miserables star Hathaway said, "Jenny, I dreamed a dream you'd marry Joe," while Titanic's Winslet opened her arms and asked, "Jenny, do you feel like you're flying?"
And Jackman was thrilled to hear the bride was a fellow Australian, joking, "Jenny, you left all of those Australian men for... this. It's not too late."
The video went viral on Monday (19May14) while the newlyweds were honeymooning.

Actress Amanda Seyfried is to reteam with her Les Miserables castmate Hugh Jackman in director Joe Wright's upcoming Peter Pan prequel. The Mamma Mia! star will portray Mary in the live-action film, which features Jackman as pirate Blackbeard, Garrett Hedlund as Hook and Rooney Mara as Tiger Lily.
Newcomer Levi Miller has been cast as the young Peter Pan in the project, which starts shooting in Leavesden, England next week (28Apr14).
The film is set to hit cinemas in July, 2015.

A group of protesters have launched an online petition in a bid to convince the producers of director Joe Wright's Peter Pan prequel to drop Rooney Mara as princess Tiger Lilly. They are upset The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star has been cast to play a character of Native American origin, revealing that their initial complaint was met with an unapologetic comeback by studio bosses at Warner Bros.
A posting on ThePetitionSite.com reads, "They said a black actress and a French actress were first considered for the role."
The protesters add, "This casting choice is particularly shameful for a children's movie. Telling children their role models must all be white is unacceptable... Tell Warner Bros. to stop casting white actors to play characters originally written as people of color!"
Sources previously told Variety.com that Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and Blue is the Warmest Color star Adele Exarchopoulos were considered for the Tiger Lilly role before it was offered to Mara.
The petition against her casting has garnered over 4,500 signatures since its launch on Tuesday (18Mar14).
Pan, which stars Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund and newcomer Levi Miller, is set to hit theatres in 2015.

Moviemaker Joe Wright has found his Peter Pan - newcomer Levi Miller has been cast to take on the lead role of the boy who never grew up in origins film Pan. The director launched an open casting call in the U.K. to find a new face to play the character, and Miller beat out hundreds of boys for the role of the orphan who became Pan.
He will star alongside Hugh Jackman, Garrett Hedlund and Rooney Mara in the 2015 movie, which will centre upon the beginnings of J.M. Barrie's classic children's story.
The film is scheduled to hit cinemas in July, 2015

Actress Rooney Mara is in talks to play Indian princess Tiger Lily in director Joe Wright's new Peter Pan prequel. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo star is reportedly close to signing on to join Hugh Jackman and Garret Hedlund in Pan.
Jackman will play pirate Blackbeard and Hedlund Peter Pan's arch-nemesis Hook in the origins film.
The young Pan has yet to be cast.
The movie, inspired by author J.M. Barrie's classic tale about the boy who never grew up, is scheduled to hit cinemas next summer (15).

Producers behind director Joe Wright's forthcoming Peter Pan movie are giving aspiring actors the chance to star as the boy who never grew up by holding open auditions in the U.K. Casting calls have been sent out for boys of all ethnic backgrounds, aged between 11 and 13 and no taller than five feet four inches (1.65 metres), to attend auditions for the lead role at London's Wembley Arena on 23 February (14).
The lucky young actor selected to portray Peter Pan will join a cast which already includes Hugh Jackman, as pirate villain Blackbeard, while TRON: Legacy actor Garrett Hedlund has also been tapped to play Pan's arch-enemy, Captain Hook, as a younger man.
The Warner Bros. project, which is expected to be released in the summer of 2015, is the latest to revolve around J.M. Barrie's classic tale - there are also films in the works at Columbia and Disney, with the likes of Channing Tatum and The Hunger Games director Gary Ross attached.